Installer and WinSxS folder huge size

Question

Hi,

C: drive of my server is almost full, total capacity of is 60 GB.
Size of the "C:\windows\Installer" folder is around 17 GB, Would like to know the use this folder and if cleanup can be done to recover some free space considering it is physical server.

Answer 1

Hi @WinTechie ,

The C:\Windows\Installer folder contains Windows installer cache, it's used to store important files for applications installed using the Windows Installer technology and should not be deleted.

The installer cache is used to maintain (remove / update) the applications and patches installed on the computer. The installer files are a record of file versions and registry dependencies involved in a particular application or application update installation. The availability of this record in the cache helps to uninstall and update applications properly.

For more information, you can refer to the blog post over here:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/archive/blogs/joscon/can-you-safely-delete-files-in-the-windirinstaller-directory

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Best regards,
Leon

Answer 2

@WinTechie
Hi,

No, You can't just delete everything in the WinSxS folder.

Deleting files from the WinSxS folder or deleting the entire WinSxS folder may severely damage your system so that your PC might not boot and make it impossible to update.

You can, however, reduce the size of the WinSxS folder using tools built into Windows.

You could refer to the following official article as your reference:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/clean-up-the-winsxs-folder

You can use Disk Cleanup to reduce the number of unnecessary files on your drives, which can help your PC run faster. It can delete temporary files and system files, empty the Recycle Bin, and remove a variety of other items that you might no longer need.

Hope above information can help you.

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Answer 3

You can simply use Disk Cleanup and clean up the unwanted files from WinSxS folder as well or you can remove the unwanted features directly from powershell

Answer 4

If you looking through the properties of each installer files, I think it is safe to delete as long as you recognize what is it ,and you know how to reinstall it .

Answer 5

Can *.tmp files within that C:\Windows\Installer be removed or are those needed as well?